Connected devices have become an important part of our lives. As the use of the Internet is increasingly intrinsic to people's daily activities, more personal electronic devices are becoming interconnected. A variety of Internet-connected devices are now available to consumers as part of a connected—device ecosystem—called the Internet of Things (“IoT”)—that uses the existing Internet infrastructure. The IoT provides connectivity that makes a variety of computing devices and groups of devices (collectively, “things”) more useful. The IoT may also allow for the collection of unprecedented amounts of data relating to a user, thereby facilitating an understanding of a user's environment, behavior, and/or how well various devices associated with the user perform. The IoT may further allow for control and/or automation of various devices, thereby improving the interaction between, and/or the functionality of, a user's devices.
The IoT may be relatively heterogeneous, with connectivity facilitated by a variety of different technologies. Providing trust, privacy, safety, and/or security (“TPSS”) within the IoT provides unique challenges, as traditional security and/or security management technologies may be difficult to implement in such a diverse ecosystem. For example, the use of ad hoc networks and/or a variety of control and/or communications paths and/or channels in an IoT, many of which may be hidden from a user, may introduce difficulties in implementing TPSS within the IoT.
The present disclosure relates generally to network security systems and methods. More specifically, but not exclusively, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for facilitating trust, privacy, safety, and/or security of information communicated between, and the operation of, a variety of connected devices in a network. Systems and methods disclosed herein facilitate TPSS within an ecosystem of connected devices or “things”. As used herein, the terms device, connected device, system, entity, and/or thing may, in certain instances, be used interchangeably. In certain embodiments, the systems and methods may be utilized in connection with a personal IoT ecosystem associated with a particular user, entity, and/or a group thereof. Embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods may, among other things, implement TPSS within a diverse ecosystem of connected devices associated with a user, and/or the user's home, vehicle, workplace, and/or the like. For example, certain embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods may be used in connection with any suitable connected device or devices, including, without limitation, security systems; networked locks; thermostats; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (“HVAC”) systems; irrigation systems; water controls; pumps; heaters; home utility meters; home network gateways; activity sensors; alarms (e.g., fire and/or CO2 alarms); connected lighting; connected home appliances (e.g., refrigerators, washing machines, televisions, etc.); connected vehicles; medical and/or personal devices (e.g., activity and/or fitness monitoring devices, pacemakers, insulin pumps, blood sugar monitors, etc.); mobile communication devices; computing devices; and/or any other connected device, as well as associated status and/or data stores.
In some embodiments, TPSS may be established in a personal IoT between various connected devices through the use of security associations and/or shared group tokens associated with a user of the personal IoT. In certain embodiments, these security associations may be used to form an explicit private network associated with the user and/or a personal IoT associated with the user. As detailed herein, in various embodiments a user may add and/or manage devices included in his or her explicit private network through management of various security associations amongst the network's constituent devices.